Auto attachment.



H. KEPLER.

AUTO ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1914.

1,151,474. A Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Eiql. I M" 3 Am]; a M w q MAN/flu! ma W/TNESSES: 3 5' INVENTOR a vegl'epkz' A TTORNEKS.

HARVEY KErLER, for DEVILS LA KE, ,nonirn nAKorn,

AUTO n'rrncinvisn'r.

Toa'll whomz't mayconcern: w 1 v Be it known that I, HARVEY Knrnnn, acitizen of the United States, and residehtof Devils Lake, in'thecountyof Ramsey and Stateof North Dakota, have inventedcertain new and usefulImprovements in Auto Attachments, of which the "following. is aspecification.

My invention relates to vehicles, more es-, 7

pe'cially to automobiles, and the main object thereof is to providemeans forpreventing the axle end, or any partfof the automobile,

from touching the ground in the event of, a

wheel coming 01f; a further object is to provide suchmeans whi'ch areout ofthe way under normal running conditions a further jobject is to-soconstructthe said: means as to serveas a runner, 1n the event of a wheelcoming off, whereby the automobile may be hauled to a suitable place forrepairrafiurther object is to so construct and=locateathe said means asto serve as shock-absorbers and whereby thespringrestraining straps nowused be dispensed with; a further obj ect is to provide such deviceswhich are, or may be, adapted to any type of automobile, withoutmaterial change in-th'e structure of the latter; a further object is toprovide such devices which, While enabling automobile.

running witha wheel 01f, willposi-tively prevent slide skidding of theautomobile, though permitting steering the same; and further objects areto provide such devices which are entirely practical, easilyinstalled,very efficient in saving an automobile from turning turtle in the eventof a front wheel coming off when running at high speed, and also'inpreventing injury to the axle from which the wheel has fallen, and whichare comparatively inexpensive.

My invention is fully set forth in the following specification, of whichthe accompanying drawings form a part, in which the samereferencecharacters are used to designate the same parts in each of the views,and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective, view of anautomobile provided with my invention, and from which a front wheel hasbeen taken; Fig. 2 isa section taken through the front axle, and showingone method of attaching my invention to an i automobile; Fig. 3 is a topplan'view of the form shown in Fig. 2; Fig. LiS a section taken on theline 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 isa perspective view of one of theSpecification of Letters lat'ent.

; automobile frame having side-barsa and a to which are connected, inthe form shown in Figs. 1 to4,,inclusive, the longitudinally arrangedfrontsprings Z) and 6 by means of bolts 5 at the front end of theside-bars Patented A11 24; 1915';

fApplic'atibnfiled M3329, 1914. i Serial No. 841,829.

UFFKQEZ 1 devices removed from the automobile, and. I

is a perspective, fragmentary, View. or a modification of the form shownin Figs and by meansof links 5 at the rear ends of said springs, andsaidv springs are heldion the axle 0 by means. of clamps 0 and strap;

first form being held, wat the front ends thereof, by the bolts 6 and atthe rear ends by clips 6Z3 held on the said springs by means ofboltspcltand the skids are pivotally secured thereto by means of bolts(Z and said skids, asshown in 1*ig. ,8, are preferably out? wardlyprojected,,,the bearing base of the two skids is approximately the sameas the wheel base or width of tread, although the with each other, and Iprovide a rib d on each of the skids to prevent side skidding of anautomobile when being carried on one or both of said skids, forwardly orbackwardly.

Arranged on each of the skids, directly beneaththe axle, is a boss daround which pivotal connections of said skidsare in line is arranged acoil spring 03 impinging on the lower side of the axle, a boss 03 beingprovided on the axle if desired, and said coil springs may be made ofsufiicient strength to act as shock absorbers for the upward ,movementofthe automobile after jolts and thus relieve the springs b and b of therebound strain which is frequently disastrous. In Fig. 6 I have shown myskid attached to a type of automobile which employs transverselyarranged springs e in pivotal and swivel connection with the axle, asat6 and.

in such form I-pivot the forward ends of my skids to the swivel 6 asshown ate and I may, and prefer, to connectthe rear ends of the skids tothe cross-rod e which is, connected with the bar .6 in operative"connection with the steering knuckles of the axle and with the steeringgear, whereby said skids W111 be movedewith' ad in the" degree of thewheels, so that an automobile may be, steered although one or both ofthe front wheels maybe off, but I do not desire to limit myself to anyspecificconnecting means, nor to any specific-type or automobile, nor,indeed, to the specific formation ofthe skids shown anddescribed, my

' invention consisting of emergency axle supporting means of such formand 1n such lo-' cation as tomaintain the axle free from Y the groundinthe event of a Wheel being v removed, accidentally or purposely.

It will thus be seen that, when a wheel comes off the axle, thefaxle endis main--' tained atla height above the, ground, and preventing-injurythereto, and also, prevent .the; automobile from turningturtle when afront Wheel comes 101T and, thus, preventing injury to the automobile ioccupants; my skids are also of value in the event of a bad puncture ofthe tire with no spare shoes along, as the wheel may be taken offfandthus" avoid rim-cutting of the tire shoe, the skidssufficing-asyrimners" while the automobile is being drawn to a repairshop.-

My invention HliLYfllSO be applied to all rear axles many. and allautomobiles.

Having "fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isz V 1. The combination with an automobile i7 having ,an axle :and: wheels thereon; of a Copies of this patentmay beobtained device adjacent each wheel for maintaining" said axle at an"elevatlon, upon removal of' either or bothwheels, said devices being vprovided, each, witha rib arranged parallel the bearingportion-of saidskid,

tosaid wheels to prevent side skidding While the automobile is removed.-v 2. The combination with an, automobile having an axle and wheelsthereon; of. a

skid adjacent to and parallel to eachwheel resilient means arrangedbetween each skid I and the axle to take the rebound of theautomobilesprings and absorber. -v

3. As an article of manufacture, for use on an automobile, a skid,comprising a ribbon of suitable material of substantially V thus serveas a shock.

shape, and having pivot lugsat the ends thereof in a substantiallyhigher, planethan being hauled, with a Wheel 4 l i i 40 .for maintainingsaid axle at an elevation,

upon removalof either or both wheels, and V '4. The combination withantautomobile having an axle and. wheels thereon; ofja skid adjacent toeach steering wheel of said" v vertical, longitudinal, plane; of saidautomobile. r-

'7 Intestimony that I claim vthe foregoing v as my invention, I.havesigned my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses I} p M. A. HOGHANG, f ARTHUR Nnss. v

for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,-."Washington,D.G y r V to permitdeflection. of said skid from the 5;

HARVEY KEPL R;

